Drier.



No. 850,398. PATBNTED APR. 16, 1907 I A. RAMOS.

DRIER.

APPLICATION nun MAR. 30, .1906.

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'PATENTED' APR. 16, 1901.

'A. RAMOS.

DRIER. APPLIOATIOH FILED [AB- 30, 1900.

2 BEBET8-8HBET 1.

. WITNESSES:

INVENTOR hATTORNEYS that is to say,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUSTO RAMOS, COMPANY, or

OF SAO PAULO, BRAZIL, ASSIGN OR T NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEWYORK.

DRIER.

My invention relates to apparatus for drying grains, berries, and thelike, and particularly to coffee-driers.

My invention consists in a novel form of drier comprising two perforatedconcentric cylinders, one within the other, adapted to receive a chargein the annular space between them, the diameter of the two saidcylinders being so proportioned with respect to the normal shrinkage H Ias to cause the upper surface of the inner cylinder to be almost, butnot quite, uncovered as the charge dries during a drying operation,together with means for admitting air to within the inner cylinder.

My invention also consists in novel means for controlling the exit ofair at the upper portion of the outer cylinder, comprising a shield orguard arranged above the outer cylinder and means for moving the shieldor guard toward and away from the said cylinder.

In operation the annular space between the two cylinders issubstantially filledit is filled as full as it can be while leaving thematerial free to move. The drier is then revolved, as is usual, in thedirection of the arrow in Fig. 2. Air is admitted under pressure withinthe inner cylinder, and this air forces itself away through the mass ofmaterial in the drier, finally escaping through the perforations of theouter cylinder. The charge gradually shrinks during the dryingoperation, and as the charge shrinks a greater space is graduallyexposed at the top of the annular chamber. This space graduallyincreases until "finally the up per surface of the inner cylinder isnearly, but not quite, exposed. The air-blast gradually becomes more andmore effective opposite this open space, for the reason that the chargebecomes notably thinner or less deep at this point. The result of thisis to increase the efl'iciency of the air-blast at this point while acertain amount of air is still being forced through the other parts ofthe drier. The

of a charge during drying Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 30, 1906- Serial N0. 308,335.

l i l r Patented April 16, 1907.

drier being revolved continuously, every particle of the charge isbrought from time to time opposite this point, and I have found that adrier thus arranged is exceedingly effiw cient and the drying operationmore rapid than in an ordinary drier,.where the relative depth of thecharge remains substantially unaltered. The amount of air which ispermitted to pass through this space maybe regulated by raising andlowering the shield or guard arranged in proximity to the outer andupper surface of the outer cylinder.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will now describean embodiment thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings,illustrating same, and will then point out the novel features in claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in cen-.

tral longitudinal section through a drier embodying my invention. Fig. 2is a View in central transverse section through the same. Fig. 3 is adetail transverse sectional view through one of the trunnions. Fig, 4 isa detail view, in longitudinal central section, showing a modified formof shaft employed.

The drier comprises an'outer perforated cylinder 5, an inner perforatedcylinder 6, end heads 7, and a shaft 8. The several parts are rigidlysecured together and are suitably provided with brace-rods, &c., as willbe well understood. The shaft 8 in the form' shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3comprises hollow trunnion portions 9 10 at opposite ends of the drierand a central hollow portion 11. The hollow portion 11 is of less diameter than the trunnion portions 9 and 10, but is rigidly secured theretoby spiders 12. The trunnions 9 and 10 are received in suitable bearings13, carried by standards 14, the device as a whole being arranged torevolve freely in said bearing. The trunnion 9 is open at its outer endand is arranged to be connected with a suitable air-supply. The trunnion10 is closed by means of a deflectorplate 15, as shown. Currents of airentering the trunnion 9 will divide, some portions entering directlyinto the space within the inner cylinder 6, between it and the centralportion 11 of the shaft 8, and other portions passing through the innerportion 11 of the shaft to the other end of the drier, where they willstrike the deflector-plate 15, by which they will be deflected back towithin the inner cylinder through the annular passage between 0 MARCUSMASON &

the trunnion 10 and the central portion of the shaft 11 at the saidopposite end of the drier.

I make no claim herein to this specific form of air-distributingarrangement thus shown and described, as the same forms no part of thepresent invention, but I have illustrated the same herein asconstituting the preferred form of my present drier. I may, however, useany desired form of construction for this purpose, and in Fig. 4 I haveshown a form in which air is admitted to opposite ends of the drierthrough the hollow shaft 8, whose central portion 16 is of the samediameter throughout as the trunnions. Both trunnions 9' and 10 are openfor'air to be admitted at eachend, the central portion 16 of the shaftbeing perforated to permit clear passage therethrough of air to theinterior of the cylinder 6.

- The outer cylinder 5 is provided with suitable doors 17 for admittinga charge.

I 18 designates the guard or shield, which is arranged above the outercylinder in proximity thereto. This guard or shield is provided withscrew-threaded bolts 19, by which it may be raised and lowered to carryit nearer to or farther from the said cylinder 5. Thebolts are fittedinto nuts 20, operated by mitergearing 21 under the control of anoperating wheel 22.

' In operation the drier is charged through the doors 17 until theannular space inclosed between the cylinders 5 and 6 is substantiallyfilled. At this time the shield 18 maybe adjusted away from the surfaceof the cylinder 5, as during the first part of the operation the saidshield or guard is not necessary. Air is introduced under pressure towithin the inner cylinder, preferably at both ends thereof, so that theentire chamber within the cylinder 6 becomes filled with air underpressure. This pressure becomes considerable, because thematerial in theannular space between the cylinders 5 and 6 offers considerableresistance to its escape. This resistance is substantially equalthroughout theentire annular space during the first part of the dryingoperation. The air of course is gradually forced out first through theperforations in the inner cylinder 6 to the annular space between thecylinders 5 and 6 and then out through the perforations in the cylinder5. As the charge becomes gradually dry a certain shrinkage takes place,and thisv shrinkage increases and in doing so exposes a space in theannular chamber near the upper end thereof. The level of the charge inthe annular space does not remain horizontal, but be l l l l l l l 4 l lcomes oblique, owing to the rotative action,

the angle of such obliquity being, for instance, such as is shown Fig. 2of the drawings.

finally the upper surface of is almost, but not quite, exposed.

of the charge when substantially dry is illustrated by the line a: inFig. 2. The diameters of the cylinders are carefully proportioned forthe foregoing purpose, and I have found so far that it is necessary forthe most efficient operation that the diameter of the inner cylindershall be not less than one-half of the diameter of the outer cylinder.In fact, in practice I have so far made the diame ter of the innercylinder somewhat larger than half the diameter of the outer cylinder,such a proportion being shown in the draw ings. As the charge becomesreduced I adjust the shield 18 to its proper position, so as to regulatethe amount of air permitted to be discharged opposite this point. Itwill be understood that as the shield more nearly approaches thecylinder 5 greater resistance will be offered to the escape of air, soas to force more air out through other parts of the drier, and as theshield is retracted from the cylinder 5 less resistance will be offeredto the outcoming air at this point, and hence a greater quantity will bepermitted to discharge.

What I claim is--- 1. In a drier, the combination with two concentricperforated cylinders, arranged one within the other, the diameter of theinner cylinder being not less than one-half that of the outer cylinderand the annular space between them being substantially clear, wherebysaid space is continuous and the material contained therein will becapable of moving freely therein, of heads secured fast to both saidcylinders, and a shaft carrying said heads and cylinders, said drierhaving means for admitting air under pressure through'said shaft to theinterior of the inner cylinder. 1

2. In a drier, the combination with two concentric perforated cylindersarranged one within the other, of means for admitting air under pressureto the interior of the inner cylinder, and means coacting with the outercylinder for controlling the passage of air by restricting the dischargethrough the said outer cylinder.

3. In a coffee-drier, the combination of two concentric perforatedcylinders, arranged one within the other, and adaptedto receive a chargeof coffee-berries in the annular space between them, the width of saidannular space being about equal to, but slightly greater than, the depthof the space exposed by the normal shrinkage during drying, of a fullcharge, and means for admitting air to the interior of the innercylinder.

1. In a coffee-drier, the combination of two concentric perforatedcylinders, ar-

by the line at w in ranged one within the other, and adapted to Thedepth of the receive a space thus exposed gradually increases until larspace the inner cylinder nular space being about equal to, but slightlyThe level l greater than, the depth of the space exposed charge ofcoffee-berries in the annubetween them, the width of said an- IOsurrounding the same.

6. In a drier, the combination with two of a concentric perforatedcylinders,

arranged one within. the other, and means for admitting air to withinthe inner cylinder, of a shield arranged above the outer cylinderpartially surrounding the same, and'means for adjusting the shieldtoward and away from the cylinder.

'AUGUSTO RAMOS. Witnesses:

A. SICILIAUS, JosE A. OAWAYO.

